U-17 MNT Begins Camp with Two Friendly Draws

U-17s Tie Orange County Blue Stars and Club Tijuana U-17s in Final Camp before Pair of International Tournaments

U-17 MNTJul 13, 2014

CARSON, California (July 10, 2014) – The U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team began a week-long training camp with a pair of scoring draws against Orange County Blue Stars and Club Tijuana’s U-17 team at the U.S. Soccer National Training Center on Wednesday.

With 38 players called into camp, U-17 MNT head coach Richie Williams was able to field separate lineups for the two matches, both of which saw the U.S. come from behind to secure a result.

In the first game of the day against Orange County Blue Stars, a scoreless first half gave way to four-goal outburst in the second 40 minutes, with defender Logan Panchot and midfielder Christian Pulisic hauling the U.S. level after it had given up the first two goals of the game early in the half.

The U.S. went behind to Club Tijuana’s U-17 squad late in the first half of the day’s second game, but Eric Matzelevich’s 51st-minute strike handed the U-17 MNT a well-earned draw.

After featuring as second-half substitutes in the U-17s’ opening match against the Blue Stars, forwards Kai Koreniuk and McKinze Gaines started up top for the U.S. against Club Tijuana – the only two players to see action in both of the day’s games.

The U-17 MNT is scheduled to play a second pair of friendly matches on Saturday against Orange County Blue Stars’ PDL side and the LA Galaxy Academy U-17/18 squad. The team’s 38-player training camp at U.S. Soccer’s National Training Center in Carson, California, is the last for Williams and his staff to evaluate players before separate U-17 Men’s National Teams participate in the Nordic Cup in Denmark and the Copa de Mexico in Mexico City, respectively.